Senior Buyer for Furniture

Kids bedroom buying guide

If you're wondering where to start with your kids' bedroom, we're here to help. To begin with, you need a comfy, cosy place for them to lay their heads – their first bed – and it needs to grow with them through those precious early years.

The beauty of habitat's new range of kid's beds is that they adapt to your family's changing needs and preferences, because we know how quickly they grow up. You might need two single beds one year, then a bunk bed the next – and you need the transition to be hassle free.

Whether your little ones are ready for their first bed or are making the leap up to a single, we have the bed, and also the storage and accessories, to make their room feel like home. Have a peek at our kid's bedroom buying guide for ideas of how to create a really sweet environment for your little guys.

Making the right choices: bedroom furniture

Choosing furniture for your kid's bedroom can be great fun, but the choices you make have to be practical too. From storage, to shelving, to bunk beds, there are countless ways to make space and keep clutter at bay.

The simplest way to update a kid's bedroom is to change soft furnishings or a light fixture, but a lick of paint, jaunty new display shelves or adapting a bunk bed into two singles will create a change that makes everything feel new again.

It's important to remember that kid's furniture is put through its paces – all that playing and jumping can take its toll. Investing in something of good quality means it will stand the test of time and be passed on to younger siblings when or if the time comes.

Our kid's bedroom buying guide will help you during the first stages of planning and will give you something to refer to when deciding on the biggies like mattresses and bedding. Don't forget you are welcome to pop in store with your brood and try out our bedroom ranges, although you may well find you have very little say in it!

Considerations

First thing's first: what will your kids need over the next few years? Will you start off with two sharing and then give each their own rooms? Can you rearrange the current space to include more storage once they start growing and need more clothes?

As well as being practical, you want your child to feel safe and at home. After all, this is a sanctuary and playroom all of their own. If they're old enough to help, let your kids be part of the decision-making so that once everything is ready, they'll feel they've had a part to play and take pride in their new room.

Don't be afraid to borrow ideas from your friends and extended family; how did they kit out their children's rooms? What do you like about them and what wouldn't work for you?
Other good sources of inspiration are our habitat blog and Pinterest boards – or a good old flip through your favourite interiors magazine.

Pieces you'll need:

Bed: will it be kid's size, a single bed or bunk beds?

Mattress: foam or pocket sprung? What size and firmness?

Pillows: think about size, softness and filling. How many are needed?

Storage: will you opt for a chest of drawers, wardrobe, trunk, bedside table or all of the above? Can you fit storage under the bed?

Accessories: what about a table and chair or maybe some bedside lighting?

Upholstery: do you have enough extra space for a sofa or sofa bed, chaise longue or armchair? Beanbags and floor cushions are great for story time.

Soft furnishings: which throws, cushions, rugs and window dressings will be hard-wearing but round off your look?

Playtime: how about a play tent or a few wooden toys? You might need a storage box to store toys, or a bookshelf to display books and games – will they fit?

Understated or statement?

Now for the fun part: how do you want it to look overall? Will it be girly or neutral? Bright? Graphic? Take your time to decide, but once you've settled on a colour scheme and figure out a budget, the room can really come to life.

Fun

Add a bunk bed to your room and some colourful shelving and accessories to make it children friendly. For an extra bit of personality add a play tent, although it may be tough to coax your little ones out of it at bedtime.

Shop the look: why not try our Pongo bunk beds?

Modern

Opt for clean lines and hints of colour with our single beds complete with matching storage. Add a beanbag or floor cushion for TV time.

Shop the look: check out our Dot bedroom range.

Cool

Solid oak statement pieces are great for creating a classic look. A single bed will give them space to play beneath the bed and only a leap up to bed when it's time for a snooze.

Shop the look: is our Hana single bed right for you?

Colourful

Whether you're after skittles, dominoes or our classic wooden red bus, we have lots of toys that your kids will love. They'll add a pop of colour as your little ones play, and we also have vibrant shelving and stools to keep things organised and accessible.

Shop the look: how about our Doug storage range?

Key pieces

Bed

Measure your space carefully because bunk beds will need ample room for kids to climb up on to. Single beds may require extra space too if you opt for under-bed storage. For more details, see our bed buying guide.

Mattress

Take your kids to your nearest habitat store and let them have a bounce on a couple of different mattresses. Our friendly staff will be there to answer any questions you have. For more guidance on buying the right mattress, see our mattress buying guide.

Storage

Kids are more likely to keep their clothes and toys organised (yeah right!) If storage is fun to use. Our colourful shelves, colour pop wardrobes and chests of drawers are great for keeping that mountain of clutter under control.

Materials

Habitat's kids' beds are made from lacquered wood, while single beds (for big kids) are constructed from sturdy, solid oak. Full details of care instructions can be found on our website.

Upholstery

Sofa beds are great for last minute sleepovers and also offer the opportunity to tuck up for bedtime stories, while an armchair gives tired grown-ups a place to perch. Children's bedrooms are often snugger spaces, so be sure to measure up, including the doorways, to make sure your new pieces will fit. See our sofa buying guide and sofa bed buying guide for more info.

Duvets and pillows

It's all about practicality and comfort with kids, and we have a large choice of fillings and duvet sizes so that yours have their perfect match. Be sure to measure your bed before you buy and have a squidge in store. If you still have questions, have a quick read of our duvets and pillows buying guide – it really helps.

Soft furnishings

Our bestselling cushions will add colour and pizazz to your kid's room, but don't forget to choose printed bed linen, of which most is reversible, to change up the look. Have a read of our bedding buying guide for more info. You might also opt for a colourful rug if that's your thing – it's a great way to create a safe play area on the floor for your tiniest ones. Have a read of our rug buying guide for more info.

Lighting

A bedside light is perfect for story time, or you could create a softer glow with a folded, graphic lampshade from our range. We're pretty sure that any colourful lighting will add a touch of style to your kids' space, especially if you've gone for a more neutral base.

Keeping tidy

Beds

Dust our wooden beds to keep them looking pristine.

Mattresses

Most of our mattresses have covers that can be unzipped and dry-cleaned. You can also have a quick hoover to remove any dust or use a paper towel to mop up any liquid spills. Regularly turning your mattress will help it keep its bounce.

Quality guarantee

Most of our mattresses carry a five to eight year guarantee; be sure to check each individual mattress to see which one applies.

Storage

Our various storage pieces can be vacuumed or cleaned with a damp cloth so they stay looking their best.

Upholstery

It's a good idea to have your upholstered items professionally cleaned, but they can also be brushed and vacuumed in the mean time.

Soft furnishings

Care instructions may vary but the majority of our bed linen, cushions covers and pillows can be washed at 40 degrees and followed up by a 2-dot iron.

Checklist

Measure your room and make sure that the bed, storage and upholstery will fit. Take a look at our handy size chart to make sure everything fits:

Bed size

Sleeping dimension (cm)

Kids (Dot range)

W 90 x L 190

Kids (Pongo range)

W 90 x L 200

Single

W 90 x L 200

Consider how long you'll need each piece for; will the child grow with the room or will you update as you go along?

Make sure that the bedding and mattress you've chosen will fit on the bed(s)

Allow room for toys, play tents, bean bags and other accessories that your kids use regularly

Take your kids on a tour of our store to make sure they fit in the bed and like the accessories that go with it. It's never too early to start forming opinions!

Order online at habitat.co.uk or call 0344 499 4686

Put your feet up, wait for delivery and then let your kids roam free in their new habitat!